1 Samuel 26:11
in 1 Samuel 26But the LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Jehovah forbid that I should put forth my hand against Jehovah’s anointed: but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go.
KJV
The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 26
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThe Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed,.... Or suffer any about him to do it; he speaks of it with the utmost detestation and abhorrence: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster; not to smite him with, as he desired, but to carry off, and was no other than his sceptre; See Gill on 1Sa 20:33, and the cruse of water; which stood in the same place, as appears by 1Sa 26:
This site's exposition
who can stretch forth his hand
on 1 Samuel 26:9-11
David's refusal turns on one clause, repeated at 26:9, 26:11, and again at 26:16: who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless. The same restraint held him back in the cave at Engedi in chapter 24, and it will hold him back again over the Amalekite's claim at 2 Sam 1:14 and over Shimei at 2 Sam 19:21. David leaves Saul's death to three named outcomes, the Lord's own stroke, a natural day to die, or a fall in battle, and takes only the spear and the cruse instead of a life he has no right to.
This site's exposition
take the spear and water jug by his head
John Gill reads the spear as Saul's scepter, the sign of his rule. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that a jug of water was kept near a sleeper in warm country for the night. Both objects prove how close David stood to the king.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But what great and wonderful and Christian patience is to be found in David from whom Christ descended according to the flesh! David often had the opportunity to kill King Saul, his persecutor, who was eager to destroy him. Yet when Saul was subject to him and in his power, David preferred to save his life and did not retaliate on his enemy but, on the contrary, even avenged him when he was killed. In short, many prophets have been killed, many martyrs have been honored with glorious deaths, and all have attained their heavenly crowns through the merit of patience, for a crown for sorrow and suffering cannot be obtained unless patience in sorrow and suffering precede.
A commentator
Athanasius of Alexandria296–373
HISTORY OF THE ARIANS 4.33 · Written before 373.
proposed
But our Saviour is so gentle that He teaches thus, "If any man wills to come after Me," and, "Whoever wills to be My disciple;" and coming to each He does not force them, but knocks at the door and says, "Open unto Me, My sister, My spouse;" and if they open to Him, He enters in, but if they delay and will not, He departs from them. For the truth is not preached with swords or with darts, nor by means of soldiers; but by persuasion and counsel.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Now therefore take the spear that is at his head, etc. The spear either insinuates the power of the kingdom itself or the arms of spiritual virtues, by which the kingdom could be helped. However, it can be taken regarding the earthly kingdom they had …
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Besides, he was the sovereign; Though God had rejected him from the kingdom, it was in every way the best and most dutiful course, instead of precipitating his fall by imbruing their hands in his blood and thereby contracting the guilt of a great crime, to wait the awards of that retributive providence which sooner or later would take him off by some sudden and mortal blow.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
This common custom of Arab sheiks was also the practice of the Hebrew chiefs. at his bolster--literally, "at his head"; perhaps, Saul as a sovereign had the distinguished luxury of a bolster carried for him. A "cruse of water" is usually, in warm climates, kept near a person's couch, as a drink in the night time is found very refreshing.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
As Adonoy lives. Some say that he swore to his temptation; 1 The use of swearing to ward off temptation is done by many Tzadikim. For example, Avrohom swore [Bereishis:22-23] that he will not take the spoils of victory after defeating the four kings.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 7 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| חָלִ֤ילָה | chalilah | far be it | H2486 → | 21 times |
| לִּי֙ | li | to <the> me | ||
| מֵֽיהוָ֔ה | meyahweh | from Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מִשְּׁלֹ֥חַ | misheloach | from stretching out | H7971 → | 845 times |
| יָדִ֖י | yadi | hand my | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| בִּמְשִׁ֣יחַ | bimshiach | on [the] [one] anointed of | H4899 → | 39 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְ֠עַתָּה | veatah | and now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| קַח־ | kach- | take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| נָ֨א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַחֲנִ֜ית | hachanit | the spear | H2595 → | 47 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֧ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| מְרַאֲשֹׁתָ֛יו | meraashotov | [is the] place of head his | H4763 → | 8 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| צַפַּ֥חַת | tzapachat | [the] jug of | H6835 → | 7 times |
| הַמַּ֖יִם | hamayim | <the> water | H4325 → | 581 times |
| וְנֵ֥לֲכָה | venelakhah | and let us go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| לָּֽנוּ׃ | lanu | for <the> ourselves |
חָלִ֤ילָהfar be it
chalilahH2486 →21 times
לִּי֙to <the> me
li
מֵֽיהוָ֔הfrom Yahweh
meyahwehH3068 →6520 times
מִשְּׁלֹ֥חַfrom stretching out
misheloachH7971 →845 times
יָדִ֖יhand my
yadiH3027 →1618 times
בִּמְשִׁ֣יחַon [the] [one] anointed of
bimshiachH4899 →39 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְ֠עַתָּהand now
veatahH6258 →433 times
קַח־take
kach-H3947 →966 times
נָ֨אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַחֲנִ֜יתthe spear
hachanitH2595 →47 times
אֲשֶׁ֧רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
מְרַאֲשֹׁתָ֛יו[is the] place of head his
meraashotovH4763 →8 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
צַפַּ֥חַת[the] jug of
tzapachatH6835 →7 times
הַמַּ֖יִם<the> water
hamayimH4325 →581 times
וְנֵ֥לֲכָהand let us go
venelakhahH1980 →1546 times
לָּֽנוּ׃for <the> ourselves
lanu
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Samuel 1:14So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 26:9
But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 31:4
Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run it through me, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused…
- 1 Samuel 26:9
Through
1 Samuel 24:12May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.
it leads to
- Judges 11:27
I have not sinned against you, but you have done me wrong by waging war against me. May the LORD, the Judge, decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”
- Psalms 43:1
Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation; deliver me from deceitful and unjust men.
- Psalms 35:1
Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
- Genesis 16:5
Then Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me…
- Psalms 94:1
O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth.
- Judges 11:27
Through
2 Samuel 1:16For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”
it leads to
- Matthew 27:25
All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
- Matthew 27:25
About 1 Samuel
This page draws on Athanasius of Alexandria, HISTORY OF THE ARIANS 4.33; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Cyprian, Treatise IX. On the Advantage of Patience 10; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.